Canadian Club Classic 12yo

Once again, the months just slip by while I fail to blog. Oh well. Here's one I finished the last little glass of last night.

Canadian Club Classic

Aged 12 years

Canadian whisky

40% alc/vol

$20

Man, I don't know about this Canadian whisky thing. I like the stuff, but I think I haven't had enough of it to taste it properly. I'm getting a lot of what I got with the Forty Creek Barrel Select last time: caramel, sherry...hmm, hold on. Not much spice, unlike the Forty Creek...more on the sweet. Toffee, vanilla, honey... Lots of alcohol, though. Needs a lot of water to really bring the flavors out. A hint of ginger.

Overall, a very pleasant drink, although I prefer the Forty Creek Barrel Select to it.

Merry Christmas, or whatever yuletide holiday you may happen to celebrate!

Forty Creek Barrel Select

Wow. It has been a while, hasn't it? Let's not waste any time then!

Forty Creek Barrel Select
Canadian whisky
40% alc/vol
$22

That's right, sports Scotch fans! Tonight's drop comes from north of the border, eh! This one has won several awards, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Canadian whisky's interesting: single malt Scotch whisky is made from malted barley, while blended Scotch is made from both barley and other grains like wheat or rye. Canadian whisky, however, is made largely from rye, along with barley and even some corn. It's definitely got a distinct flavor.

It's sweet. Heavy on the butterscotch. Sherry. The texture is very slightly creamy, but all full in the mouth. Great feel to it. A little spicy, too, like honey and ginger. It's super-smooth, with no water required.

A very enjoyable experience, this first foray into the world of Canadian whisky. They do know what they're doing! And it's not even expensive. Crazy.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask

Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Single Islay malt Scotch whisky
48% alc/vol
$54

I first tried this scotch at WhiskyFest Chicago last year. I liked it, but it was toward the end of the night, and my tongue, she was tired. So I picked up a full bottle of it so I could judge it a bit more critically (well, as much as I ever judge whiskeys critically).

Peat. Hits me full in the face, from nose to finish. Very smoky. It's quite nice, really, when I'm in the mood for it, and not so much when I'm not. There's a sweetness to it, too — coconut, maybe? It's nice and creamy and smooth, and, at the moment, a joy to drink. Spicy and dry on the finish.

This is good stuff, but a bit expensive to keep in stock regularly. I'd be more inclined to go to Black Bottle or JW Black Label for my peat kick, although I could see myself going back to the Quarter Cask when those two just aren't enough.

The Arran Malt 10yo

Finally, another tasting note! This one comes to us from the Isle of Arran, and the only distillery on the island. As far as the region goes, it's technically called an "Island malt," but that isn't very meaningful; the islands are all different, and the whiskies are said to have little in common.

Anyway, let's get to it!

The Arran Malt
Aged 10 years
Single Island malt Scotch whisky
46% alc/vol
$48

This little light golden dram smells wonderful - light and sweet, malt and melon. It's smooth, despite its high-ish ABV, and slighly vegetal, but not overpoweringly so. A bit of water makes it explode with sweetness on the tongue.

This is a delightfully light, airy whiskey - inoffensive in all ways, and very enjoyable. It strikes me as one of the better Scotches I've had, and I'll be sad to see the bottle go!